


frost

by tarkmuan



Category: GOT7
Genre: 2jae is a side relationship, Alternate Universe, Ice Skating, M/M, Yuri on Ice inspired, and jackson's really into that, but basically mark ice skates, i don't know how to do tags oops, so is yugbam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2018-10-29 11:17:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10852875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tarkmuan/pseuds/tarkmuan
Summary: mark loves to ice skate and jackson loves watching him.





	1. triple lutz

it was almost four in the morning, white snowflakes slowly falling down to earth and hitting the wide windows of the rink, mark entranced as he watched them slide down the glass. he followed them with his eyes, patient until they reached the end of the sill and gathered in clumps. it was too cold outside to gather the snow, but mark wished he could brace the winter and build a castle like he used to when he was younger. instead, mark decided to break his stare and lean down to slip his skates on, lacing them up on muscle memory and running his fingers against the stained weathered leather. he stood in them for a little bit before making his way to the ice, placing one foot in front of him and pushing himself forward with the other.

mark let a deep breath out, spreading his arms out and closing his eyes. he began moving, pushing himself onward and letting himself flow around the spacious rink, faster and faster until he gained enough momentum to jump into the air and spin. it was an exhilarating feeling, being one with the breeze that formed around him as his eyes struggled to focus on his surroundings due to the rapid movement. he landed with a forceful but graceful thud, stretching his right leg and arms in front of him and turning a few times before lifting himself up and coming to a gentle stop.

mark powered himself around the rink for a while longer, doing the random pirouette every so often but mainly just letting himself move along with the ice. his body was moving on its own accord, the way it always did when he allowed his mind to melt into the ice. every movement of his was perfectly executed, a result of years of sleep lost to indulge mark’s obsession. he admired the way his movement on the ice was all that echoed in the vast room, the sound of metal scraping on the ice calming him and repeating itself in the back of his mind. it was during moments like these that mark felt he could truly be himself. no one was pressuring him to talk or placing him into their own expectations of what he should be. he was already tall and skinny, ice skating certainly didn’t add any manliness to his image. if only he could convince everyone that ice skating was a sport of beauty, and it didn’t make you any less of a man.

mark caught his breath and slowed his pace, gliding towards the edge of the rink and exiting with a careful step. he plopped down on a bench and sighed, unlacing his skates and taking them off in a hesitant haze. the clock on the wall read six am, and mark knew that despite the grip in his chest drawing him back towards the rink, he had to get home. tugging himself along the wall, mark deposited his skates in the locker room and trudged through the glass doors leading to the harsh outdoors. his black coat was doing well against the strong winds, but his legs were beginning to tremble beneath the thin material of his pants. it was late enough in the night to be dark, but early enough in the morning to allow for grey streaks to begin to form along the borders of the sky.

ahead of him was a large green field spotted with hundreds of large air balloons preparing to take off. it was festival season, and mark’s favorite one was the montgolfière festival. there were few things in this world that mark could say he loved, and one of them was the festival that brought a sense of joy to the townspeople below as it blew balloons made of intricate patterns into the atmosphere. he loved taking in the cheerful atmosphere, how everyone had so much pride in their balloons and how families were able to spend time together. mark has only been in one a couple of times, each experience as thrilling as the last. back in taiwan, mark remembered a grassy field people used to launch their balloons off of. the first time he went was when he was eight, and his mother had saved enough money to take him for his birthday. _don’t peer over the edge too much, yien_. she would scold him but hold him up to look at the landscape below anyway. there was one time where they almost began drifting above the ocean, and mark’s mom was so warm in the way she soothed mark’s worries that they would crash and drown. _it’s okay, you’re fine. nothing bad will happen to you as long as i’m here, trust me_. she would give him an ‘i’m all knowing’ wink and a hug, patting his head as he stood up and began to laugh.

mark wiped a stray tear from his face, the liquid already beginning to solidify. he sighed, a puff of white smoke emitting from his mouth and floating in front of him. his mother was back in taiwan, and he hasn’t seen her in years. the only thing stopping him from boarding the next flight to her was the encouraging messages she would always send him, letters of hope for his skating career filling his heart with determination and chasing down any last traces of dread in his heart. _g_ _o, yien. i will be fine. i want what is best for you, and if leaving means you get to become the olympic skater you’ve always dreamed to be, then so be it. i will always be cheering for you. wǒ ài nǐ.'_ and, well, if this was what she really wanted, then mark would have to comply.

mark shoved his hands into his pockets and walked faster, waving to a few people getting ready for the festival and bowing his head to the elders who were following him with kind smiles. he was more than ready to head home and slump into bed. his shift started in six hours, but all he needed was four hours of sleep to function.

rubbing his hands together after opening the doors to his apartment, mark threw his coat on his grey couch and sulked to his bedroom, stripping down to his boxers and climbing under his dark brown duvet. the buildings in the city were old, made of rotting brick that was the center of the aesthetic of the city. to complement the buildings, everything new in the city was constructed to match. bellagio street lamps lined the roads and all of the homes were rustic and made of either wood or brick. mark gawked at the beauty of it all when he first arrived, originally visiting for a skating competition but returning permanently when his mother urged him to go. the city was on the list of the few things mark loved, even when he was convinced that nothing could beat the urban blanket of taiwan.

mark stared at the wooden beams on his ceiling, blinking a few times before turning to look out of the window. next to his apartment building was a small garden, and when he was stressed mark found the blooming flowers a comforting escape. now, even from his bed, mark was able to peer over the edge of the windowsill and hover his eyes over the beauty of the winter flowers. it was nice, having a little area he could let himself relax in. mind soothed, mark closed his eyes and buried his head deeper into the pillow, pulling the covers over his shoulders and falling asleep.

 

 

jackson was elated, overcome with complete zeal as he bounced out of the car and onto the concrete platform. he could smell the ocean breeze sweeping around him, his shoulders immediately relaxing as he let out a content breath. finally, after hours of sitting thousands of miles above the air, jackson was able to walk around and release all of his stored energy to the world. he was visiting his friend, who, for some reason unbeknownst to jackson, thought it great to move to some random city in europe. there was a welcoming aura to the place, sure, but jackson always preferred bright lights and high rise buildings. cities like hong kong were able to match jackson’s fast pace, but despite enjoying the rush of always having somewhere to go, jackson could appreciate the way the european city allowed him to sit back and soak the environment in.

“jackson, jesus christ, can you listen for once?” jaebum had his arm around youngjae’s shoulder, the other tapping impatiently against his him. youngjae laughed and only clutched coco to his chest further, jaebum instantly forgetting about jackson and moving to adjust the loose tufts of blonde hair sticking out from youngjae’s hoodie. jackson groaned at the couple who was now staring fondly at each other, stealing coco from his father’s arms and walking with the dog down a set of stairs and onto the beach. he released coco on the sand, laughing at the way the dog scurried at the foreign sensation. he walked along the edge of the water for a bit, guiding the dog and making sure it didn’t enter the water before sitting down, his butt on the sand and coco resting on his lap. he could hear jaebum and youngjae laughing behind him, the sound causing an ache to emerge in his heart. he was happy for them, of course he was, but jackson had a hard time finding someone he could call his own. he loved a lot of people, and a lot of people loved him, but he’s never really been in love with someone before. all of his past relationships have ended before he could reach the point of being in love. every time, it was because he was too clingy, or too loud, or too pushy. his friends have since then convinced him that they weren’t flaws, that they added to his charm and some people were just too stupid to see that, but jackson couldn’t help the hurt he felt every time he saw two people happy together. it was okay, though, as long as his friends were happy.

jackson heard jaebum call his name again and pushed himself off the ground, clutching onto coco and joining the two lovebirds on their walk to the row of apartment complexes near the shore. they sat in a small rotunda garden, jackson awing at the flowers that managed to thrive with the winter climate. jackson handed coco over to youngjae, sitting on a bench and throwing his head back to stare at the sky. everything was grey, the few clouds that were visible gathered at the mountain tops in the distance. still, the city was shining bright, the ocean reflecting back light that was strong enough to make jackson’s eyes sting.

a fumble of keys was heard from the apartment building, jackson turning to the front doors and expecting to see jinyoung emerge from the inside. he sat up, ready to greet his friend, when in jinyoung’s place walked out a skinny male rushing to put his coat on while simultaneously struggling to hang his bag from his shoulder. his hair was brown, textured and cupping around his head, bouncing as he walked and revealing the man’s eyes. his lips looked soft and full, a natural pink stain to them that had jackson leaning forward in his seat. his eyes and nose complemented each other perfectly, both sharp and adding to the rough but effortless flawlessness of his face. jackson was reeling, his gaze roaming down to the other man’s long legs as they rushed to get the beauty wherever it was he needed to be. suddenly, the vivid colors of the flowers beside jackson seemed to pale in comparison to the compelling looks of the slim man. oh, how jackson wished he knew the man’s name. he was a new obsession of jackson’s from just one look, and jackson found himself never wanting to leave this city.

“guys! long time no see, how is everyone doing?” jinyoung approached the group, crinkles forming around his eyes as he led them through the same door the mystery brunette exited through. they entered jinyoung’s apartment to a delicious meal on the table, jinyoung beaming with pride as jaebum, jackson, and youngjae showered him with ‘thank yous’ and compliments. it was delicious. the stew was superb and the meat was juicy and crisp. jinyoung gave them each a glass and filled them halfway with wine.

“wow, jinyoung-ah. you’re spoiling us so much.” jackson drew his words out, staring up at jinyoung and doing his best to make loving eyes. jiyoung flicked jackson on the forehead and sat back down, picking up his fork and stabbing into the beef as jackson rubbed his forehead and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout.

the brunette has been in the back of jackson’s mind all night, engulfing all of his thoughts one by one until he found himself thinking about him and only him. jackson looked up through his eyelashes at jinyoung who was sitting across the table from him. what if jinyoung knew who jackson’s mystery man was? they lived in the same complex, surely they’ve talked before, right? but how was jackson supposed to approach jinyoung? he couldn’t ask so straightforwardly - that would be too obvious of him.

“what are you thinking about, jacks? it’s unusual of you to stay quiet for so long.” jinyoung spoke to him with curious eyes, a hint of worry beginning to form in them as jackson sighed and placed his fork on his plate. if jackson didn’t say anything now, he felt as if he would combust and his remains would vanish into thin air. jackson cleared his throat, everyone at the table leaning in in curiousity.

“so when we were sitting outside waiting for you, i, uh, i saw this guy walk out of the building. he was tall and skinny and was wearing a black coat. and he was brunette. i was just wondering if you knew who he is? like i don’t mean to be creepy, but he looks like a really interesting person you know and i-”

“mark. jackson, his name is mark.”

jackson nearly choked on air, wide-eyed and gaping at jinyoung. mark. what a beautiful name for a beautiful person. he repeated it over and over in his head, letting himself get used to it but knowing he wouldn’t fully be able to until the name rolled off his tongue. mark. mark. mark. mark. when he came to, everyone was looking at him, identical smirks forming on all of their faces.

“jackson’s got a crush. i noticed mark was hot, but i didn’t realize he was that ho-”

“fuck you he’s gorgeous.”

jinyoung laughed, the lines returning around his eyes as he threw his head back and covered his mouth. youngjae was barking and jaebum was only snickering, shoveling more meat into his mouth when jackson gave him a glare. a blush was beginning to creep onto jackson’s neck, so he sighed and ran a hand down the side of his face before leaning back in his seat.

“i should never have asked, i knew you were all going to give me shit.”

“hey, you’re the one who fell in love with someone after all they did was walk by you.” jaebum hit jackson on the head, laughing as jackson groaned and rubbed at his hair.

“i don’t talk to him much, though. he leaves in the afternoon and doesn’t come home until the middle of the night, so i don’t see him a whole lot. i think the only time i ever really had a conversation with him was when i first moved here.” jinyoung was thinking, his chin resting in one hand and his glass of wine in the other. jackson hummed, intrigued by the new information and wondering where it was that mark went every day that kept him away until night.

“but if you really want to talk to him,” jinyoung smirked, “just wait outside at around eleven in the morning?”

jackson snorted, eating a piece of cauliflower and taking a sip of wine. “and how do you suppose i do that without him thinking i’m a creep?”

"oh shit, you’re actually serious.”

“shut up jaebum. if i just sit out there and randomly show up and start talking to him, won’t he be weirded out?”

“no, i don’t think so.” jinyoung was done with his food now, swirling a piece of lettuce around the plate with his fork. “just make it look natural. like you were already there before he walked in.”

“should i act like i was getting coffee and offer to buy one for him?”

“jackson, it’s an apartment building, the coffee here is free.”

youngjae and jaebum snickered, both of them simultaneously taking sips of their wine when jackson turned to scowl at them.

“fine,” jackson huffed, “i’ll just comment on his clothes or something.”

“jackson-hyung, are you really going to do this? isn’t it all a little creepy?” youngjae peered at jackson, a piece of meat still in his mouth. jaebum leaned over the table and gently pushed youngjae’s chin up with his fingers, jackson rolling his eyes at jaebum’s _don’t speak with a full mouth, honey_.

“well, he’s never even met the guy and he’s already infatuated with him, so why try and stop jackson from being weird now?”

jackson let out another low groan as everyone around him laughed. jackson shot back the remaining of his wine before standing up, picking up all of his plates and heading to the small kitchen to put them in the sink.

“thanks for the meal, jinyoung, but i think i’m going to head out for a walk.”

“jackson-hyung, we didn’t mean to make you feel bad. it’s actually kind of cute.” youngjae bit his lip and pulled on the string of his hoodie, a hint of guilt on his face.

“no, it’s not that youngjae-ah, i just need some exercise after so many hours on a plane, that’s all.” jackson laughed and smiled brightly, squeezing youngjae’s shoulder before picking up his coat and heading to the door. he waved goodbye to everyone, ignoring jinyoung’s ‘don’t take too long’ and walking into the brisk air.

it was nearing one am, and jackson was gawking up at the sky above him. it was breathtaking, the clusters of stars that adorned the sky shining down on him almost brighter than the sun. nothing like this could be seen from hong kong, and yeah, this city definitely had jackson there.

he was walking, hands in his coat pockets and his feet carrying him on their own. the cold wasn’t affecting him too much, but the biting feeling under the skin of his face was definitely prominent. fifteen minutes must have gone by now, and jackson looked up from the ground to see a canopy of trees above him, forming an arch that draped over the long pathway. he awed at the sight, walking under the greenery until he emerged from the other end. jackson found himself in front of a large, dome shaped building, squinting at the letters above its door and seeing ‘Patinoire de Grâce.’

jackson peered through the glass door, pressing his nose and palms to the glass. inside, he could see white lights illuminating the front desk. this place was still open? jackson pushed the door open, carefully walking in but seeing no one at work. he called out, saying a quick hello but getting no response. a few steps forward, to his left, was a door leading to a locker room, and in front of him was a path that he assumed led to the ice rink itself. the floor was made of coarse navy carpet and the walls were stark white with nothing but a blue line drawn across the middle. he gulped and walked to the large doors at the end of the hallway, staring nervously at the sign-in sheet spread on the front desk as he continued past it.

approaching the doors, jackson hesitated before pushing them open, thankful that they didn’t make any noise at all. the chill air of the rink hit him, making him shiver a bit as he stepped into the open area. he headed forward, taken aback by the sound of metal hitting ice that resonated through the space. jackson walked to the ledge that bordered the rink, resting his elbows on the surface and letting his hands dangle over the edge. he was gawking, eyes wide as his shoulders tensed. low and behold, in front of him was mark, skating around the rink and being his beautiful self.

jackson didn’t know much about ice skating, but he could tell that the way mark carried himself was flawless. everything around mark lackluster to him and the way he moved. with every jump and spin and glide mark was overflowing with grace, arms spread out and jackson had to blink to make sure they weren’t wings. mark was so focused on his skating and it was evident in the way his eyebrows furrowed, nose scrunched and bottom lip pushed out before every move. every dip was angled perfectly, mark’s poise remaining steady even after he flew into the air and touched down with a powerful thud. the skating was so alluring and jackson was drawn in, upper body leaning beyond the edge of the barrier as he let out a small gasp after every jump mark finished. but most of all, jackson was drawn towards mark and the amount of passion the brunette showed on his face. mark was so pretty, his skin pale and cheeks pink from the increase in blood circulation. his hair flowed with his movements, unblemished hands moving through the air and jackson found himself staring at them the most. mark’s lips were red and parted, as if he was letting a constant stream of sighs slip through. jackson wanted to kiss them, so bad, but he threw those thoughts away in a stupor as mark suddenly stopped, staring right at him and looking absolutely bewildered.

before he could comprehend that, oh fuck, he was caught and that, oh fuck, mark was skating towards him, jackson found himself only two feet from mark. jackson gripped the waist-high wall that separated them, praying that his knuckles wouldn’t turn white. mark was even more gorgeous up close. his deep brown eyes were dilated and he was huffing, breath taken away by exhilaration. he had random freckles adorning his face and jackson had to resist the urge to reach out and poke every single one of them with the tip of his finer. and the shape of his face. mark’s cheeks were so sharp jackson thought he could reach out and cut himself on them if he wanted to.

“w-what are you doing here? t-the rink is closed.”

oh god, his voice was more lovely than anything jackson would have ever been able to imagine. it was velvety, a little deep but still melodic. jackson almost melted, but he cleared his throat and matched with the flustered expression mark was showing.

“sorry, i was just walking and the lights were on so i just thought...i’m sorry.” jackson bit his lip, nervous that mark would be mad at him or worse, think he was some sort of perv. mark looked anxious, he was tugging on his hair and fiddling with the hem of his shirt. jackson couldn’t help but stare, mark’s all black, skin tight outfit was showing off every curve of his body. his thighs, his hips, his arms. mark was so small, and jackson wanted nothing more than to take mark into his arms and hold the brunette’s head to his chest.

“oh, well then it’s not your fault i guess. i shouldn’t have left the lights on. sorry if i worried you.” mark offered jackson a gentle smile, his eyes flickering around jackson’s face before going back to staring at his skates. jackson was forming into a puddle, his mouth letting out a nervous chuckle. mark was so sweet, and jackson almost felt bad for interrupting his personal time. it was obvious mark wasn’t used to people watching him, and jackson felt guilt settle in his chest.

“no, no it’s fine. i hope you don’t mind that i watched your skating. you’re great, by the way.”

a blush extended the red that was already on mark’s cheeks to his neck and behind his ears. jackson smiled a bit, moving back and forth on the balls of his feet. mark giggled lowly and moved to exit the rink, sitting on a bench where his shoes were and switching out his skates. jackson walked to the bench, cautiously taking a seat next to mark, making sure that there was at least a foot between them. he watched as mark put his shoes on and gathered his things.

"wait, you’re not leaving because of me, are you? i can leave if you want me to.” jackson hurried to get his words out, not wanting to scare mark away. mark shook his head, gripping the edge of the bench and slouching back.

“you’re fine, i just have an early shift tomorrow and i should really get back.” mark sent him another dazzling smile, eyes wide and chest still breathing heavy. jackson just nodded, opening and closing his mouth but finding nothing to say. he sent mark a small ‘goodbye’ as the brunette headed out, jackson staring at the way mark walked and the way mark’s muscles moved when he opened the door.

and just like that, mark was gone. jackson felt something empty settle in his chest, and he closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh as he dragged his hands down his face. just like that, jackson let mark go. he didn’t ask more about him, didn’t ask why he was here so late and if he was getting enough sleep and didn’t ask why he was so beautiful. was it effortless, as jackson suspected it was, or did he spend countless hours in front of the mirror every morning?

a few minutes later, jackson stood up, moving on autopilot and walking in the same direction mark did. would mark be coming back? jackson should have offered to walk him home. but instead of next to mark, jackson was walking to the apartments while fussing with jinyoung over the phone. _why aren’t you back yet?_  it doesn’t matter. _what_ _were you doing?_  nothing. _jackson, where were you_? nowhere. for some odd reason, jackson wanted to keep the rest of mark for himself.

jackson slumped on his way back to the complex, wincing when he opened jinyoung’s front door and was immediately bombarded with questions. he dismissed them, saying he went to a cafe and lost track of time. they believed him, letting go of his shoulders and allowing him to sulk to the futon on the floor of the living room. jackson fell to it, not bothering to take anything off and falling asleep to the sounds of his friends bantering in the kitchen, mark the only thing on his mind.


	2. double axel

 

the night after his encounter with the handsome stranger at the rink, mark was hesitant to go back. granted, it was nearing two am now, much later than when the other man must have entered last night. it was highly unlikely that he would show up now, but mark was uneasy when he thought about someone watching him again. skating was something mark had always kept to himself, something that was private and only for him to revel in. he could barely hold a conversation with someone, let alone show someone the side of him he has tried so hard to conceal over the course of his young life. very few times has mark allowed someone to observe.

but oddly enough, when mark thought about jackson, he didn’t feel as naked as he thought he ought to be. if anything, jackson’s complements on mark’s skating added fuel to mark’s already burning fire. maybe this was mark’s subconscious’ attempt at getting him to make more friends. sure, the nice boy who lived a few doors down from him and always dressed like his father was nice, but mark wouldn’t necessarily say they were _friends_. the more mark thought about it, the more his shoulders dropped. he hasn’t had a real friend since high school, but it was his own fault, really. he was so engrossed in skating that he abandoned everyone for it. sometimes, mark thought, including his mother.

before a bubble of self-pity could form around mark for him to wallow in, he stumbled off of his grey couch and yanked his coat over his shoulders. today, in contrast to the black he wore yesterday, mark was wearing a light pink top that highlighted the brown in his eyes and hugged to his lanky upper body.

stepping out of his apartment, mark looked around, eyes almost searching for someone before they settled on the door to jinyoung’s apartment. however, when the bronze doorknob started to rattle and turn, mark dashed away, nearly tripping over his feet and hurling down the stairs.

by the time mark was out of the building, he was wheezing and leaning over with his hands on his knees. straightening his spine and groaning at the light-headed feeling from the blood rushing to his head, mark began to stumble in the general direction of the rink. it was the warmest it would be for a while, and mark cherished it by closing his eyes as he walked and letting the wind hit his face. the leaves that remained on the trees were rustling, dancing against each other and sounding like music to mark’s ears. for him, the night was still relatively young. he didn’t have the worry of work resting on his shoulders, his cleared schedule endowing a sense of freedom that mark wanted to take advantage of. with thoughts of what he would do tomorrow, mark strode to the front doors of the rink, hands giddy with excitement and longing as he eagerly unlocked the door with his honorary key and stepped inside.

mark swore the air inside the rink was fresher than the air outside. the oxygen poured into his lungs and bled throughout his entire body. before mark could enter the skating arena, however, he was stopped dead in his tracks by the image of jackson sitting on one of the many bright blue benches along the outside of the ice entrance. the man was nervously rubbing his hands together and tapping his foot on the carpeted floor. mark was glued to the ground, bound and staring at the sight of jackson on the other side of the glass doors. he contemplated running, turning before the black haired man had time to notice he was there, but that plan was shattered when jackson turned and waved at him shamefully, catching the brunette in the middle of a mental breakdown.

breathing deeply and shutting his eyes for a quick second, mark pushed the doors open and walked to where jackson was sitting. he kept his eyes downcast as he tentatively sat down a safe distance from jackson on the bench, face heating up a cherry red when jackson laughed and scooted closer to him. they sat in an awkward silence for a while, both men just twiddling their thumbs and waiting for one of them to have the guts to speak first. and of course, jackson was the first to break the silence.

“sorry, about coming here unannounced. i know you probably don’t want people to watch you, but…”

_but what? spit it out._

“jackson, it’s fine, really. i just wasn’t expecting anyone, that’s all.” mark smiled, hoping it wasn’t as tense as he thought it was. did he mind jackson watching? to some extent, mark did, but the more he looked at the way jackson’s eyes widened whenever their gazes met, the more he wondered what it was jackson was coming here for. did he want to be friends? or was mark just that good of a skater?

mark shrugged off his coat and took his skates out of his bag to replace the worn sneakers he had on. all the while he could feel jackson’s eyes on him, intensely staring at his side profile even as mark moved off the bench to get to the ice. but, just before mark entered the rink, he stopped and turned to jackson with one hand on the plexiglass.

“why...why exactly do you keep coming here?”

jackson recoiled and mark shrunk at the stricken look on the other man’s face. mark wiped his hands on his pants and rushed to spit something reassuring out.

“it's not that i don’t want you here or anything-”

“yeah, no, yeah i know. just, honestly speaking, i don’t really know why i keep coming here either. i guess i must really like your skating.”

mark and jackson both blushed and looked down simultaneously, mark sending a shy smile to jackson when he glanced to meet his eyes. instead of saying anything, mark breathed in deep and walked onto the ice and began skating in a circle, stretching his arms and letting his muscled loosen before he flipped into the air.

 

 

i _guess_ i _must really like your skating._

oh my god, jackson wang, you are _such_ a fucking loser.

but at least it allowed for jackson to see mark’s pretty blush, and so jackson laid back somewhat smugly and watched awestruck as mark performed on the ice. his heart jumped with every graceful leap mark made into the air and relaxed with every hard thud mark’s skates made with the ice. after a few twists made into the air, mark glided towards the rink doors, flushed and smiling brightly at jackson.

“what did you think? i’ve been working on this new routine and…”

mark was breathless as he talked and sat down next to jackson on the bench, closer than before and excitement in his eyes.

“it was great, you were fantastic.” jackson was growing so fond of the look in mark’s eyes but everything he was saying was true. mark was a great skater and jackson was determined to show him he was.

“really? oh, thank you.” mark was crimson again and looking down at his hands. jackson watched mark for a bit before leaning over, fingers spread out on the few inches of blue plastic between them.

“you’re honestly such a lovely skater mark, and i don’t know why you’re so reluctant to admit it.”

mark’s face burned stronger, and his bottom lip quivered but he didn’t turn away like jackson had expected him to. their faces were so close together, and jackson wondered how it was possible for someone to be even more beautiful up close.

“t-thank you. i guess people don’t really compliment me that often? n-not to sound like i should be complimented, just i don’t really skate in front of other people is what i mean.” mark was stuttering and playing with the hem of his shirt, chest still pumping up and down at an abnormal pace. mark was nervous and jackson was so scared he would freak him out, so he boldly placed his hand on mark’s thigh to soothe the brunette. _or_ , jackson second-guessed, _maybe i’m just freaking him out more_.

his pants were soft and thick but the warmth of mark’s skin still radiated through the fabric. jackson resisted the urge to dig his fingers into the cotton, instead looking up and meeting mark’s eyes straight on, lost in the sea of them for the few milliseconds they were locked on each other. mark took in a ragged breath and jackson quickly removed his hand, reaching up to scratch at his head and looking away before looking back at mark apprehensively.

“i-i should probably go. i’ve been here all night and it’s only a matter of time before my friends wake up and call some task force to come after me.” jackson laughed and to his relief mark laughed with him, albeit sounding a little shaken. mark’s thumb was rubbing the spot where jackson’s hand was, and the brunette’s blush was still faint on the apples of his cheeks. he was staring at jackson, but jackson couldn’t look him in the eye again, afraid that he would reveal the real salacious reasons he was there. instead, he focused on mark’s pretty hands and the red paleness of his knuckles.

“but, you’ll come back tomorrow, right? i’ll see you then?”

jackson nearly choked as mark slouched sheepishly, staring up at jackson through his eyelashes and jackson felt his heart nearly jump out through his throat. mark’s voice sounded so soft and sweet and jackson couldn’t bear to depart from him, but his phone was buzzing in his pocket, and jackson thought it best to take it as a sign that he should go before he did something he wouldn’t be able to take back.

“i’ll be here, definitely. good night, i’ll see you tomorrow.” and so jackson waved at mark and smiled a little too brightly at the brunette before pushing past the glass doors of the building and walking into the brisk night air. compared to the warmth of sitting next to mark, the chill of the wind outside ran down to jackson’s bones, shrinking his frame in on itself. that night, jackson couldn’t get the image of mark in that tight pink shirt out of his mind.

 

 

mark sat on the bench for a long while after jackson left, shivering from the cold still lingering from when the glass doors were swung open. he sat there, mildly scandalized about what had just happened. jackson’s hand on his thigh, jackson’s face close to his own. jackson saying he would come back. a warm feeling flooded in from the top of his scalp and poured down to the tips of his toes, whether it was his body reheating or jackson’s ‘i’ll see you tomorrow’ he didn’t know.

it must have been well past four in the morning when mark trudged home, sweat turned into ice as he climbed up the stairs to his apartment. even inside the building, it was freezing, the winter seeping through the insulation of the building like poison travels from the fangs of a snake into its victim.

 

 

it was six days later when mark saw jackson again. this time, it wasn’t in a skating rink in the middle of the night. instead, mark spotted jackson under the harsh fluorescent light in one of the many aisles of the supermarket, grunting and holding a can of peaches up to his face. mark hesitated before quietly making his way over, tapping jackson on the shoulder and holding in a giggle when jackson jumped and clutched the can to his chest.

“j-jackson, hi.” mark waved shyly, moving around on the heels of his feet and blinking his eyes.

“oh, hi mark. i didn’t expect to see you here.”

“well, i live near here, so…” mark said, amused and moving his hand in a vague gesture.

“oh my god, right. if anything i’m the one who you should be surprised to see.” jackson let out a flustered sigh and this time mark allowed himself a small laugh, fiddling with the hair around his ear before pointing to the can of peaches in jackson’s hands.

“you had that pressed up against your face…”

“oh, right! jinyoun- er, you know him, right? he asked me to run some errands for him but i can’t seem to figure out what everything here is.”

“well those,” mark tapped the lid of the can, “are peaches. and is jinyoung your friend?”

“yeah! we’re visiting him for a couple of weeks, just until spring starts, and then we’re heading back to seoul.” jackson nodded and placed the peaches into the cart, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and holding it out for mark to see.

jackson sent mark a chagrined smile and asked him for help, eagerly propelling the cart forward when mark tentatively agreed and took the list from jackson’s hands. although mark knew from the start it was likely jackson wouldn’t stay here forever, it still pained him to know jackson was going to leave in just a few weeks. but jackson’s boisterous laugh shook mark out of his thoughts, dragging him into another world as they walked through the different aisles of the market.

over the past few days mark and jackson had spent together, they had formed some sort of camaraderie, hanging over them like a cloud ready to pour water down on them at any minute. it was an odd sort of friendship, jackson outgoing and voluble, mark reserved and taciturn. but mark liked jackson, because although jackson talked a lot, he only talked about things that mattered.

 

 

 

 on every one of mark’s late-night skating ventures, jackson was there, sitting on a hard plastic bench and somehow bright and awake, despite how unusually late it was.

“don’t you feel tired, being out here so late?” mark threw himself down on the bench, spent and face and neck burned crimson.

“a little, yeah, but i’ve become accustomed to it.” jackson smiled and mark smiled back, pearly white teeth showing and lips filling out into the shape of a heart. “and who needs sleep, anyway? when i can watch you skate instead.” and really, who needs sleep when mark already makes jackson feel like he’s in a dream.

jackson reached out to poke the blush on mark’s cheek with the tip of his finger.

“you’re too kind to me. if i’m being honest, at first i didn’t really know how to feel about you being here. but now, i’m really happy that you are.”

 

 

 

jackson was laying on jinyoung’s couch, aimlessly scrolling through his phone when a plastic bag was thrown onto his stomach.

“yah, i let you stay in my house and put up with existence and this is how you treat me?”

jinyoung was standing over jackson, an annoyed expression settled into his face, puffy cheeks out and if jackson wasn’t so startled by the bag of empty takeout containers on his chest he would have reached up to squeeze them together.

“are you listening to me? if you’re going to stay here, at least help me take out the trash.”

jinyoung pushed jackson off the couch and jackson groaned, rubbing his head and stumbling over to where jinyoung was now standing impatiently by several black garbage bags. jackson mumbles a small ‘sorry’ as jinyoung smacks him upside the head again, complaining about how the three of them never throw their trash away. they make their way out of the apartment, a bag in each hand, trying not to trip over their own feet and fall down the concrete stairs.

“have you talked to mark recently?” jinyoung asks out of the blue, and jackson squeals as he almost falls down the steps in surprise.

“jesus christ. but, uh, yeah i have actually. i saw him at the supermarket the other day, when you sent me out to run errands for you.” and jackson kept it at that, opting to keep his endeavors with mark a secret in an attempt to keep the boy all to himself.

“have you gotten anywhere with him yet?” jinyoung smirks, wiggling his eyebrows and lifting the lid of the garbage can to throw his bag inside. he takes jackson’s bag for him and then they’re both standing there, hands in their pockets and bending into themselves to withstand the cold.

“jinyoung-ah! we just met, i don’t even know how to tell him i like him yet without looking like a creep.” a blush rises to jackson’s cheek as they make their way up the stairs again, jinyoung laughing and covering his mouth with his hand.

“i mean, with the way you look at him, i’m surprised he hasn’t figured it out yet. you’re so painfully obvious.” jinyoung is still laughing, holding onto a railing and leaning back onto his arms.

jackson looks over, incredulity etching itself onto his face. “am i really?”

“yeah, you are. your eyes glaze over and your cheeks get red every time you so much as even think of him.” jinyoung shakes his head and lets his bangs fall over his eyes.

jackson wants to act stoic, a slight agitation that his emotions aren’t as enigmatic as he thought making him huff and childishly stomp his foot on the ground.

“you really like him, don’t you?” jinyoung is looking at him suspiciously now, arms folded across his chest.

jackson produces an aching sigh, solemnly nodding his head and letting his back hit the stark white walls of the apartment building. “i like him so much. he’s just...perfect. he’s so sweet and the way he’s so passionate about skating is so captivating. he works so hard and just because he’s quiet people mistake him to be some unwonted reclusive. and everything about him is just so pretty...from his pink lips to his deep brown eyes, and the way his entire face brightens up when he smiles wide.”

jackson stops himself when he realizes he’s rambling, face warming up red and a shaky hand pushing the hair out of his eyes. jinyoung is staring at him, an unreadable expression flashing like lighting across his eyes before he’s smiling again and patting jackson on the shoulder. they begin their walk back to the apartment, jackson staring at the space between jinyoung’s shoulder blades and absentmindedly letting his thoughts drift back to the pretty boy on ice.

 

 

  
mark bites his smile back with his teeth, walking back to his apartment and trying not to lose his way with the fuzzy haze wrapping itself around his brain. he feels a warmth spread from his chest out to the rest of his body, a hand coming up to feel the rapid beating of his heart. e _verything about him is just so pretty_ keeps repeating in his head, the affectionate tone of jackson’s voice making mark giggle.

_he think’s i’m pretty_.

the thought makes mark fumble and drop his keys twice before he’s able to get into his apartment. he feels on cloud nine, soaring high above everyone else and melting into the deep blue of the sky. he didn’t hear anything before jackson saying he was pretty, turning the corner and quickly hiding behind it as soon as he heard the echo of jackson’s voice bouncing down the hallway. jackson was talking to someone about him, and mark smiles at the thought that, well, _jackson was talking to someone about him_.

the happiness coursing through mark’s veins almost overrides the nervous tick aching at the back of his mind, because the sun was going down and the moon was rising to take over its place, and soon mark would be going back to the skating rink and jackson would be there, sitting on the bench and looking as handsome as ever.

mark wanders around the house until there’s an hour left ‘til midnight. he pulls on a black long sleeve turtleneck, going to stand in front of the mirror to shyly fix the garment to better cling to his figure. his hand shakes as he applies a rosy balm to his lips, fingertips then gently applying a light coat of pink eyeshadow to his eyelid, subtle and barely there but adorning nonetheless. mark almost laughs at himself as he pinches his cheeks to bring color into them. he feels ridiculous, dressing himself up like this, but then he thinks about jackson saying he’s pretty and a giggle erupts from between his lips. he feels like a high school girl, pining after a boy then turning to putty in his hands. mark feels happy that, for once, his demeanor hasn’t scared someone off; that he’s able to like someone and have someone -at least, he hopes- like him back.

mark puts his jacket on and grabs his bag, the anticipation pressing into his shoulders and intensifying his urge to sate the jitters on the ice. he opens the door to his apartment, head hung low and mark’s heart nearly jumps up into his throat when he looks up and sees jackson standing there, a sheepish grin on the other man’s face. mark watches as the expression on jackson’s face turns into one of surprise, eyes opening wide and mouth hanging open as if he was choking on his words. mark cocks his head to the side, confused and worried that he might have done something wrong.

“j-jackson, is everything alright? you look a little pale.”

jackson clears his throat and shakes his head, a flush on his cheeks and he’s staring at mark before nervously looking to the side. “y-yeah, i’m okay. just didn’t expect to see you.”

mark laughs and steps closer, smiling a little at the slight tremble in jackson’s voice. “jackson, isn’t the exit on the other side of the building?”

jackson shoves his hands into his pockets and lets out a shaky breath. “okay, i might have asked jinyoung to give me your room number…”

mark blushes this time, glad that he opted not to wear artificial color as he already had enough of it without the cosmetic.

“i was coming to ask if you wanted to walk together.”

mark nods and jackson brightens, holding his elbow out for mark to hold and mark timidly latches on. they make their way through the building and out the heavy front doors, the brisk air ruffling their hair and mark almost laughs at the way jackson’s bangs are pushed up and flitting with the air.

they walk quietly at a brisk pace and they reach the rink in no time, mark carefully disentangling himself from jackson’s arm and blushing when jackson pushes the door open and let’s mark walk in first. he thanks him quietly as they take their heavy coats off, unlocking the locker room door and jackson is sitting with his hands between his knees as mark ties his skates on.

mark gently nudges jackson with his elbow, looking up at him through long eyelashes and pink cheeks.

“do you want to skate with me?”

 

 

  
jackson doesn’t even feel it when he nods, almost vigorously, even though he barely knows how to skate and thus runs the risk of making a fool out of himself in front of the one person he’s trying so hard to impress. but the way mark’s canines show when he smiles is enough for jackson to think that the risk is worth it. when mark asks for his shoe size and goes to fetch him a pair from the back, jackson can’t help but smile at the back of mark’s head, admiring his walking figure and thanking whatever force brought them together.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this is so late i'm sorry;; long story short i completely scrapped my original plans for this story and started anew. i'm incredibly indecisive. that's also why this chapter might not make sense, i'm still trying to see where i want everything to go. anyways, i hope you enjoyed! my twitter is @bangtangbling and now that i'm trying to explore my writing more, i'm up to taking any writing prompts you might have for me. 
> 
> p.s. i know mark isn't like this in real life but for the sake of that gud gud fanfiction, let's all pretend shhh

**Author's Note:**

> not proof read, nothing of mine ever is sorry. yuri on ice inspired? anyway ice skater mark is my weakness, i've wanted to write this for forever, but be warned: i know nothing about ice skating, i'm relying on google and YOI for everything. and basically jackson's just going to fawn over mark until mark actually talks to him. thanks for reading, please stick with me until the end~


End file.
